This print is the sixteenth in the Kabuki Jûhachiban (歌舞伎十八番, "The Eighteen Great Kabuki Plays") series of prints by the artist Kiyotada (also known as Tadakiyo). It depicts actor Ichikawa Danjûrô IX as Suhama (or Suhô) Sôzu (lower left), with an actor from the past as Kûkai (upper right), in the kabuki play Ja yanagi ("The Snake Willow"). Ja yanagi was originally staged in 1763 at the Nakamura Theatre and starred Ichikawa Danjûrô IV. For more information on the play, see this description.

In this print the priest Kûkai looks down at the woman "Suhama Sôzu", who carries a pouch attached to a thin bamboo rod over her shoulder. It is currently not known who this character was, as she does not appear in the established version of the play.

Karazuri blind-embossing has been used on the eri collar of the woman, and delicate bokashi gradation can be seen in both characters' eyes. As with all of the prints in this series, the detailed karazuri in the background is also a highlight.